Everything I touch grows cold
by valk1
Summary: Post 5x07. Tamsin would be more than happy never to see Bo ever again, but soon finds herself the only one who can help when the others are in peril. In my world, Bo did break the Valkyrie's heart, but T hadn't been acting so cluelessly clingy beforehand because that seems too OOC to me. Chapter length may vary; don't mind the poor editing because this one is riding on impulse.
1. But not like that

A/N: I figured some more context was needed so I reworked the heartbreak scene. I haven't decided if this will have a Valkubus ending or if Tamsin has simply had enough of Bo's B.S.

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><p>Bo woke to the feeling of Tamsin spooning her and realized she'd had another dream about Lauren holding the box Hades gave her for her birthday. She replayed the previous day's events in her head as she quietly broke from the blonde's embrace and tip-toed down the stairs to make coffee. A mysterious fae had zapped her with lightning at a football game of all places, and she'd returned home to feed from the Valkyrie in what turned out to be a long night of passionate sex. Just before they fell asleep, Bo heard Tamsin whisper "I love you" and her heart sank at the realization that this meant more to the Valkyrie than she'd assumed.<p>

Tamsin soon followed her into the kitchen and greeted her with an affectionate kiss. "Good morning," she beamed, "what are your plans today?"

"I'm going to head over to Lauren's for a bit."

"Cool. Shall I join you? Did she find anything out about our friend with the lightning hands?"

"Listen, we should talk," Bo told her, passing her a mug of hot coffee.

The blonde looked over and guessed at the reason for her discomfort. "I have an idea of what might be worrying you, Bo, and I want to make it clear to you that Valkyries are not territorial. I can always stay here if you two want alone time. And I have no problem getting along with Lauren if she can get along with me The same goes for anyone else you're close to this way."

"This way?"

"Other lovers or girlfriends or whatever you want to call it. I would never ask you to make a choice between us."

Bo sighed and dreaded the news she was about to deliver."Tamsin, I care about you more than you know-"

The Valkyrie's face fell and she began to feel sick to her stomach. "But?"

"I know that it seems like this means more because we live together and we take cases together-"

"And we sleep together."

"Look Tamsin, I think that deep down, you feel the same way."

The blonde's eyes welled up with tears. "Don't patronize me. I'm wise beyond my lives. Don't tell me I'm making this up. Don't tell me I'm stupid."

"I'm not. I'm just saying that living with someone and being close to them all the time -it can be confusing."

"I am not confused. I'm not. I'm in love with you." It had taken her so long to be able to say the words out loud and yet in the end they meant nothing to the woman she'd saved them for.

"Tamsin, I love you, I do. But not like that. I'm sorry."

"So... Lauren's good enough. Dyson's good enough. Even Rainer's good enough. What's wrong with me? Why not me? What's wrong with me?"

"There is nothing wrong with you."

"No, I get it. I'm good enough for a feed. Good enough to make you come so many times you lose count. But not good enough to love."

"It's not like that..."

"You know, I thought that finally, I was going to be somebody's... I _am_ stupid." She left the cup on the counter and turned to leave.

""Tamsin..." Bo pleaded as she stepped toward her.

"Don't follow me."

"Tamsin..." The succubus reached for her sleeve but Tamsin shook her off violently.

"DON'T."

"The door slammed and Bo was standing alone in the kitchen, wondering what the hell had just happened.


	2. A gentle nudge

A/N: Note that I added a prequel before this...

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><p>Dyson, Bo, and Trick were seated side by side on the couch in Trick's den, looking over book after book about Zeus, Hera and the other ancient fae. "I'm not seeing anything that points to the candle Persephone gave you," Trick announced as he reviewed a dusty volume for what must have been the tenth time.<p>

"I still can't believe you didn't tell us before about what happened in Tartarus, Bo. This would have really helped the case." The wolf couldn't help feeling a little hurt considering that Bo had lied to his face barely a week ago when he asked about her father.

"I'm sorry Dyson, I wasn't ready to tell anyone," Bo snapped back irritably. Of course she had chosen to tell _someone_, but that someone had stormed out of the house days ago, unable to forgive the succubus for not reciprocating her feelings.

Absorbed by their quarrel, the trio didn't hear the sound of footsteps descending the staircase. Out of nowhere, each of them was surprised by a painful prick as three darts lodged themselves in their necks. They turned to see the former Morrigan smiling in the doorway, dart gun in hand.

"Well look here, three of my favourite people in one room. That was was easier than I anticipated."

"Evony, what the hell?" Dyson stood up as they each tore the needles from their skin. Trick immediately felt dizzy and clasped at the armrest.

"Oh, it's too late, the process has already begun. See, I know Doctor Lewis hasn't been working on a cure to make me fae again, so I figured I would help boost her motivation by sharing her serum with her dearest fae friends. I was hoping to hit the Valkyrie too, just for old time's sake, but I'll have to settle for just you three."

"You are fucking kidding me," Bo replied, her voice rising. She wanted to march over and strangle Evony but, like Trick, she too felt the room starting to spin around her. "We have a clan of evil Ancients to defeat and you picked today to make us all human?"

"All the more reason for Lauren to make haste with that new formula, isn't it? She might not be keen on restoring my powers, but imagine how hard she'll work to restore YOURS."

"Evony, you have made a grave mistake," Trick muttered, holding his head in his hands. "We don't have a lot of options to defeat the Ancients and now I can't even use my blood as a last resort."

"What makes you think Lauren will even give you the cure once it's made?" Bo asked.

"Oh, it's very simple. I mixed in a little tranquilizer with the serum, so it won't be long before you pass out. I'll be taking the succubus and the blood king for some quality time alone, and if she wants to see you again, she'll have to give me the cure first."

"You're a fucking psycho, you know that?' Dyson slurred, before collapsing back into the couch with a loud thump.

"I do know that," Evony chirped, "I really do."


	3. She never does

"Water..." Dyson mumbled to himself as he came to alone on the couch in the Blood King's study, nearly a day after Evony's visit. He'd never been so thirsty in all of his long life. He felt off-balance as he got to his feet and wandered into the bar for a glass of water. Hoping that maybe it was all a dream, the wolf tried to shift. Nothing. He might as well have been attempting telekinesis. It was like there was a deep void in his being where his wolf was supposed to be. He sniffed the air but his enhanced sense of smell had disappeared. He couldn't remember ever having felt this weak, except maybe during that one eventful evening years ago when he'd inhabited Kenzi's human body. He reached for his car keys and set off to find the person who had set this whole disaster in motion.

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><p>At the clinic, the detective found the doctor waiting for him in a panic. "Dyson, where have you been? I've been calling you non-stop for the last hour. Is it true?" Lauren held up her phone to display a message from Evony full of threats and instructions.<p>

He offered a defeated nod. "Please tell me you can reverse that serum."

Moved by the fear in his voice, she guided him to her table. "Let's start with a physical exam."

Fifteen minutes later, after several tests, Lauren uttered the words he knew were true but couldn't bear to hear: "I'm afraid the blood sample confirms it. You're human, Dyson. I'm so sorry. If I'd known-"

"If you'd known that your serum would be used against your friends, you might not have created it?"

"Honestly Dyson, I was trying to help Bo-"

"Just because you _can_ do something doesn't mean you _should_." His tone was painfully sad; Lauren almost wished he'd get angry at her instead but he clearly didn't have the energy. She didn't know what to say.

"You're going to want to drink a lot of fluids," she finally offered, "I know that when Evony went through this it really helped. And you'll need an iron supplement, once every few hours. I still have some here." The doctor sorted through her cupboard and passed him a couple of pill bottles.

"I am going to work on producing an antidote to the serum. I need you to work on finding out where Evony took them. I jotted down some ideas here." She passed him a folder of notes.

"Okay, I guess I'll head over to Bo and Tamsin's first. For some reason Tamsin picked today of all days not to answer her phone and considering how weak I am, I know I'll need her help."

Lauren sighed, realizing that he hadn't heard the news. "Tamsin and Bo had a bit of a falling out a few days ago and Tamsin doesn't seem to be living there anymore."

"Well isn't that just perfect? I'm sure you're not complaining about that turn of events." He shot a glare in Lauren's direction. He was already annoyed at Lauren and hearing of Tamsin's pain didn't help things.

"Honestly Dyson, Bo didn't mean to hurt her."

"She never does," he muttered on the way out the door.

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><p>Dyson found Tamsin in a Dark dive bar that even Vex wouldn't be caught dead in. The Valkyrie sat alone at a corner table covered in empty vodka bottles. She was completely broken. Her cheeks were red and there were circles under her downcast eyes. "Mind if I sit down, partner?"<p>

"If Bo sent you to check up on me you can tell her-"

"She didn't send me."

"Then what do you want?"

"I want you to know that I hate to see you hurt and I won't let you go through this by yourself."

He expected a snide retort but Tamsin didn't even have the energy for that. Instead, she offered a barely audible "thanks" and slid the bottle of booze toward him. Neither said a word for a few minutes as the wolf sipped at the vodka and marvelled at how strange it tasted on his human tongue.

Finally the Valkyrie broke the silence. "Dyson, I appreciate your concern but you of all people know that there is nothing in the world that could make me feel better right now."

"I know, but I could always distract you," he suggested.

"How?'

He took her hand and chose his next words carefully. "The same way you distracted me the night she broke_ my_ heart."

Tamsin might have been offended by his proposition if his voice hadn't been so earnest and sweet. He was right, she needed the distraction, and who better to offer it than someone who knew exactly what she was going through?

"Your place then, and you're driving."

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><p>"Thanks for that," the Valkyrie whispered absently, her body wrapped around Dyson's like a spoon. She couldn't deny that being close to someone who cared about her was comforting, even if she wasn't in love with him.<p>

"Any time partner. I know that no one likes an 'it gets better' speech-"

"Please don't start-"

"No, let me finish, Tamsin. You are a beautiful person and I know you'll find someone one day, even if it can't be Bo."

"I would love to love someone else, Dyson. Hell, I'd love to love _you_, but I'm afraid it's not that simple."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh Dyson," she chuckled sadly, "I don't understand how someone as old as you knows so little about Valkyries."


	4. Valkyries only get to fall in love once

A/N: Thanks for the reviews!

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><p>When Bo regained consciousness her head was 'pounding harder than a sailor on shore leave', as Kenzi would say. She found herself lying on an uncomfortable cot with broken springs. Trick lay passed out on another cot next to hers and she anxiously checked his pulse, relieved to find it he was still alive. They were in a caged enclosure, god knows where. It looked like a warehouse of some kind.<p>

"Well look who's finally up," Evony trilled from across the room. She was sitting on a leather couch, filing her nails. Scowling at her, the succubus realized that she couldn't see the other woman's aura anymore. Stranger still, the hunger she'd felt since adolescence was gone. She tried to suck her captor's chi but all she got was a sharp intake of air.

"It's unpleasant, isn't it, having your essence taken away? I imagine this is how dogs feel after they're neutered. There's a case of bottled water on the table beside you, you'll want to stay hydrated."

Bo couldn't argue with that; her mouth was dry as a desert. She grabbed a bottle and chugged the whole thing at once, leaning back against the wall because she still felt too weak to sit upright on her own.

"I feel like I'm dying. I need to see Lauren," she pleaded weakly.

"Oh you'll see her," Evony assured her, "but only when she restores _my _health. Until then, welcome to my world. You aligned yourself with the humans and now you get to be one. I do enjoy the irony."

"Of all your demented schemes this has got to be the worst one..."

Evony's amused tone flew out the window. "Or maybe your girlfriend was the demented one when she made that serum in the first place. She lit a fire and you got burned, end of story."

"She wanted to neutralize you because in case you've forgotten, you're dangerous."

"And in case _you've_ forgotten, I hired her when everyone wanted her dead and gave her more freedom than your precious light friends and family ever did. I was _good_ to her and she turned around and punished me for it. And no, she couldn't possibly have put that serum in a glass of merlot. She had to choose sex as her mode of delivery for maximum humiliation. Forgive me if I can't sympathize with your noble sweetheart."

It hadn't occurred to Bo that Evony had actually been personally hurt by what Lauren did to her, but that much was clear in the way she spoke. And she was right. Being shot with a dart wasn't anywhere near as degrading as being tricked into licking the serum off a lover.

Evony took a few deep breaths and stood. "You're probably hungry, I'm going to go get you something to eat."

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><p>Trick began stirring not long after her departure.<p>

"Bo..."

The succubus looked over to see her grandfather rubbing his eyes.

"Yeah, it's me," Bo assured him, reaching for another bottle of water. "Drink this, it'll help."

"My blood... feels cold," he shivered between sips.

She took the blanket from her own cot and wrapped it around him.

"Evony went to get some food. I don't know where we are but this cage looks pretty inescapable. Even if we did get out, I'm not sure how far we'd make it. I feel even weaker than I did when I wasn't feeding."

"I can only hope that Lauren knows how to reverse this process."

She nodded.

"And in the meantime, I guess we're lucky Evony didn't get Tamsin. When she finds us she's guaranteed to exact her own salty brand of justice."

Bo hadn't yet told him what had occurred between her and the Valkyrie but there was no avoiding it now. "Uh, the thing is, I'm not sure that Tamsin will be very motivated to come to my rescue."

"Why not?"

"Something happened between us," the succubus admitted, "and she got hurt and it was all my fault."

The blood king sighed and shook his head. "Bo, you know I try not to meddle in your romantic life..." She prepared herself for an inevitable lecture, knowing it would be well deserved.

He continued. "I wondered if Dyson would hurt her but I thought he'd turned over a new leaf and she really didn't seem to mind your closeness to him so I didn't say anything."

"_Dyson_? What are you talking about?"

He sighed with resignation. "I knew she wouldn't want it advertised, but I may as well tell you now."

"Tell me what?"

"Bo, Tamsin is Dyson's Winged Guardian. It's a rite that Valkyries don't speak about because their blood forbids it. When a Valkyrie falls in love, typically with a great fae warrior, they expire, enter their last life and get their wings. They are sworn to fight alongside the one their heart has chosen for the rest of their days."

Hearing this, she suddenly began to feel dizzy, though not as a side effect of becoming human.

"I didn't think she was even the type who _could_ fall in love," he went on, "but she and Dyson clearly bonded when they were partnered up. I was confused when I learned she'd gotten her wings, but then one morning I saw them together on a couch at the Dal and put two and two together. I knew you were occasionally still... intimate with him, but I thought the three of you might have had some kind of arrangement and I figured it was none of my business to pry. But honestly, Bo, you don't love him. He'll never move on if you keep stringing him along and Tamsin is more than worthy of him as a mate. You picked Lauren, let them be happy."

Bo hugged her knees to her chest and covered her face with her hands. "How does a Valkyrie choose the person she'll fall for?"

"The Valkyrie doesn't get to choose who she loves, but it is always a fae warrior and always a formidable one. She cannot tell him of the guardianship before her rebirth; if he is to accept her into his heart, it cannot be forced."

"Does he have to love her back?"

"So little is written about it that I don't actually know, but I thought Dyson did love her. I know she's not the type for public affection but I've caught glimpses of them being rather sweet together."

"Dyson wasn't the one," Bo muttered sadly, "she wasn't _his _Winged Guardian."

"Then who-"

"It's me. It's me and I had no idea about any of this. And now I am suddenly remembering all the signs I dismissed and ignored. The first thing she did when she got her memories back was kiss me."

"But Dyson-"

"I thought they had something going for a while too but they both continued to sleep with me and I think they're just friends now. Oh god, Trick, I didn't think I could feel worse for breaking her heart but this is unreal. She told me she was in love with me and I rejected her. I can't imagine what that must have felt like."

"So you slept with her."

"Yes, but I thought it was casual, like we were just friends."

"Just friends?" he asked, growing annoyed, "so you treated her no differently than Kenzi? There was nothing beyond platonic affection, no sign that maybe she saw you as _more_ than a friend?"

He already knew the answer to his question.

"God Trick, I'm a such horrible person."

"Part of this is my fault because I didn't think to warn you. But honestly Bo, you need to learn when to keep it in your pants. You can't sleep with all your friends and expect them not to develop feelings for you. Valkyries only get to fall in love once -she must be devastated."

"I didn't know..." the succubus whispered, facing away because she couldn't look him in the eye.

"Well, Valkyries can only be Winged Guardians to fae, so your newfound humanity may have a silver lining if it means she'll be let off the hook. Though this has never happened before so I can't say for sure..."

His voice faded into the distance as Bo's mind drifted back to the moment she should have known the Valkyrie had fallen in love with her.

_Yes, you are, to me you are..._

It was right there in those icy blue eyes the whole time.


	5. I love to say 'I told you so'

A/N: Thanks Rosie for the correction in the last chapter. I wrote it on my phone so the editing wasn't so hot.

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><p>"So you can't love anyone else but Bo?" The Valkyrie had explained Winged Guardianship to the wolf as they sat the next day in his excuse for a kitchen.<p>

"No," she said flatly, adding a liberal splash of Irish whisky to her coffee.

"Not_ ever_?"

"No," she repeated, annoyed. "I am shit out of luck Dyson. It's not that I prefer her above others. It's that no one else exists for me."

"How is this even possible? How could your heart be bound to her if she doesn't love you back?"

"It's not written anywhere that the ones we fall for have to love us back. Life doesn't work that way. She's supposed to be _your_ mate for life but she's not in love with you either."

He had accepted this fact but winced nonetheless at the reminder. "Does she know about all this?"

The Valkyrie shook her head emphatically. "I never told her, my blood forbids it. It doesn't seem fair to drop that kind of bomb on her and I'd rather you not mention it. The heart wants what the heart wants and hers doesn't want me. I have to respect that." She brushed a tear from her eye.

"I'm so sorry, Tamsin."

"Well thanks for the whisky and sympathy." She smiled and looked over as he cracked open his third gatorade of the morning. "Dude, what is with you and the sports drinks? I know that a night with me is a bit of a workout but this is excessive."

He debated whether or not he should tell her. "My body is going through something and thirst is a side-effect."

The Valkyrie's cocky smirk melted into concern. "A side-effect of what?"

He sighed, imagining how Tamsin would react. "Of suddenly being human."

"WHAT? How?"

"Evony. She wants Lauren to make her fae again, but Lauren hasn't exactly been making an effort. She wanted to speed things up so she came into the Dal a couple of days ago and shot me, Trick and Bo with the humanizing serum. She took the others and won't give them back until Lauren gives her an antidote to restore her powers."

"So as we sit here, she has Trick and Bo held captive."

"Yes."

"And you didn't tell me this until now because?"

"Because Bo just broke your heart, I'm not going to ask you to make yet another sacrifice for her. I have a couple of leads, I'll go find them and Lauren is working on a new serum in the meantime."

"I'm not going to sit by while-"

"Maybe she doesn't deserve your help."

"Does it hurt?" she asked softly.

"It's not as bad as yesterday but I feel weaker, like something is missing."

She wrapped him in a hug. "You really think that you're going to track them down by yourself in the state you're in?"

"Tamsin, you don't have to-"

"Not another word," she shushed him, "That bitch is fucking dead and I'm going to have the pleasure of being the one to make her suffer. Now go put on a shirt and let's move."

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><p>They were ransacking the police station's armoury when Dyson's phone buzzed.<p>

"Just got a text from Lauren, no major progress yet but she's optimistic."

Tamsin rolled her eyes as she fastened a holster around the wolf's hip. "I swear to Freyja, if I get shot with that serum I will kill the good doctor myself. I thought doctors were supposed to have a code of ethics."

"I wouldn't blame you," the wolf chuckled.

"What were these leads you mentioned?"

"Well, Evony won't be in any of her usual haunts because she's banned from fae territory, but her new husband is a shipping magnate, so Lauren gave me a list of his holdings. He has several warehouses by the train yards."

"She'll know that that's the first place you'll look."

"So what do you suggest?"

"If I were Evony..." the Valkyrie closed her eyes and tried to put herself in the headspace of her psychotic former boss. She racked her brains for a few minutes, and finally it came to her. "I know where she'll go."

* * *

><p>"How are you so sure she would pick this place?" Dyson asked as they slipped through the side door of Taft's abandoned research facility. The wolf wasn't too thrilled to return there.<p>

"No one has occupied this building since Taft left, and given that this is the place where Lauren betrayed the fae, there's something almost poetic about bringing Bo back here to rub it in. Evony is predictable that way."

A thorough sweep revealed the building was empty. The Valkyrie felt a pang in her stomach as they passed through the lab where she and Bo once fought and she laid down her blade for good.

"You made a mistake," Dyson finally concluded as they stood in Taft's old office, "It's okay, we'll just start going through the list of her husband's properties."

The Valkyrie was undeterred. "Look," she pointed out the window, across a field. "There's a storage facility. If they're not in there I promise we'll go back to Lauren's list, but I have a gut feeling on this one."

As they approached the south entrance of the warehouse, the detectives spotted a couple of men in black suits guarding the door. Evony never went anywhere without an entourage.

"Oh Dyson, I love to say 'I told you so'," the Valkyrie joked as she put on her game face.


	6. So you do have a soft spot for her

"Are you not enjoying your lunch? You know I could be feeding you chili dogs from 7-eleven but I went out of my way to have my personal chef prepare a tolerable meal for you. A little appreciation wouldn't hurt."

Bo picked at the sole filet in front of her. After a day and a half as a human in captivity, she was feeling worse for wear and Evony's constant chatter made the experience all the more exhausting. "_Please_, Evony. Trick needs a doctor. I don't know how much longer he'll last in this state." The blood king hadn't stopped shivering since waking the day before. He and Bo huddled together under the blanket for warmth. To conserve his strength he'd stopped arguing with his insane kidnapper.

"He'll be fine. Lauren will get in touch with me just as soon as she's worked out a cure and then you'll both be free to go." She paused, moved by a flicker of compassion. "Todd," she gestured to the burly henchman stationed next to the cage, "turn up that space heater." He did as he was told.

"How do you still have goons, even as a human?"

"I'll have you know that Todd here makes a very competitive salary, with dental benefits. I take very good care of my employees, don't I Todd?"

"Yes, ma'am," he answered obediently. The succubus rolled her eyes.

"She shouldn't have made you human," Bo muttered, "she should have just killed you."

"Now, now, that's no way to talk to your future Morrigan. Remember, you're still pledged to the Dark and it won't be long before I've retaken my rightful position as your leader."

"I'm _not_ pledged to the Dark."

"You haven't annulled your alignment, that's for sure."

"I guess when I get out of here that'll be number one on my to-do list."

"Tell you what, maybe we could make a deal. Send your Valkyrie back to my entourage and I'll see that your Dark fae membership card disappears."

"You can stay the hell away from Tamsin," Bo snapped, feeling her face turn red. Her vehement reaction wasn't lost on Evony.

"So you _do_ have a soft spot for her, don't you?"

"Shut up," the succubus seethed.

"You know, I have to admit congratulations are in order; I never thought anyone could crack a Valkyrie with _her_ reputation but you had her feeding out of the palm of your hand in no time. No small feat, succubus."

"Shut up," Bo repeated. Only Evony could so effectively rub salt in a wound she didn't even know about.

"So how do you balance the Valkyrie, the doctor, and the wolf? Do you all pile together into bed in that hovel you call home or is it more of a one-at-a-time type of arrangement?"

"SHUT UP."

Their conversation was interrupted by a the sound of voices shouting outside. Todd and Evony drew their guns as they heard footsteps approaching. "Dyson," Bo breathed, her heart beat racing. She couldn't help but hope that maybe he wouldn't alone, that maybe Tamsin still cared enough about her to join him.

Her hope wasn't misplaced. The door flew open and in burst Dyson and Tamsin, whose sunken charcoal eyes bore right into Evony's. "Now I finally have a reason to kill you," the Valkyrie announced in a low voice. She squinted and suddenly Evony was overtaken by torturous pain emanating from her temples. Bo shouted to warn them about Todd, who was still hiding in the corner, but her voice was drowned out by her captor's screams. The hired gun managed to unload several bullets into Tamsin before Dyson reflexively turned and shot him clean in the head. The wolf rushed to the Valkyrie's side as she fell to her knees. She looked over at Evony, who lay lifeless on the ground. Knowing that she'd punished Bo's kidnapper gave her a peaceful sense of satisfaction. She really was a worthy Winged Guardian.

"Tamsin," Dyson called desperately as he took her in his arms, "you'll be okay."

Her gaze met his. "Better me than you," Tamsin whispered to the wolf. Then she closed her eyes.

Tears streaming down her cheeks, Bo watched helplessly as Dyson pressed down on the wounds in Tamsin's thigh, shoulder, and stomach. The succubus was triggered by the sight of Tamsin lying on the ground in a pool of her own blood. Her mind flashed back to the last time the blonde was cut down by a bullet, when she'd tried in vain to revive her with chi.

"Please, Tamsin," Dyson begged, kissing the Valkyrie's forehead. "Stay with me..."


	7. All the signs were there

"This was her last life," Bo breathed, leaning back against Dyson's chest. "If she dies..."

"Tamsin is not going to die. She is very resilient and Lauren is an incredibly capable doctor."

The succubus and the wolf sat huddled on the floor outside Lauren's operating room. They had both been in a state of shock when they'd dragged the half-dead Valkyrie into the clinic and their panic had proved too distracting for the doctor so she'd sent them into the hall. Now all they could do was wait as she worked.

"There was so much blood," the succubus murmured, looking down at her stained clothes. What had once been a light blue top was now a deep crimson. On the ride back to the clinic she and Trick had struggled to stop the relentless flow of blood but it just kept streaming out of Tamsin's wounds.

"I know she lost a lot of blood, but Valkyries are incredibly strong. They're physiologically designed to survive battle," Dyson offered weakly.

Bo's voice cracked as she broke down into tears once again. "Even after I broke her heart she still came to rescue me."

Dyson pulled her closer, brushing his hand through her hair. "She didn't hesitate for a second. I found her drunk in a bar but when I told her what happened it was like a switch had been flipped and she went right into warrior mode."

"God Dyson, how did I fail to recognize that her feelings were real?"

"She wasn't very forthcoming about them."

"I know, and she hid them under a dozen layers of sarcasm so all I saw was lust. But all the signs were there. She was always protective of me, always there when I needed her. If I'd been told what a Winged Guardian was I would have known right away that she was mine."

"How do _you_ know about Winged Guardianship?" he asked, sounding puzzled. "She said she never told you."

Bo looked at the wolf and realized that Tamsin had confided in him. "Trick told me," she admitted. "I'm such a fool. Her love for me was part of a sacred rite of passage and I told her she was _confused_. What is wrong with me?"

"I guess it's the disadvantage of being a succubus. You hurt people even when you don't mean it, only in your case, you actually have a conscience. You're a wrecking ball with a heart of gold."

"You're right," she told him, labouring to steady her voice, "I know you speak from experience and I'm sorry for being so careless with your heart."

"It's my fault too. I told us both I could do no strings attached even though it clearly hasn't worked."

"I should have known though. I only saw what was convenient for me to see."

"Are you sure you don't love her?" he asked.

She was trying to form a reply when the door swung open. "You can come back in now," Lauren's assistant gestured, and they sprang up to follow him. Tamsin was tucked under a blanket, an I.V. hooked into her arm. She looked peaceful. The doctor was hovering over her, wiping the last traces of blood off her neck. Trick sat next to the bed with a blanket wrapped around him.

"How is she?" Bo asked nervously.

"She's going to be fine," Lauren assured them, "One of the bullets perforated her intestine but I patched it up, same with the femoral artery in her right thigh. Now that the bleeding has stopped her body will take care of the rest. That's the advantage of being a Valkyrie."

"What do you mean?" the succubus asked.

"Valkyries heal by falling into restorative comas," Trick explained, "Centuries ago, if Tamsin had been impaled by a sword, she would have stanched the wound, found a hiding place nearby and settled down to be healed by a deep sleep."

A wave of relief washed over Bo. "That makes sense. She fell asleep the last time she got shot and I couldn't wake her up then either but she ended up being okay."

"When was she shot?" the doctor asked, "You never mentioned this."

"It was a while ago, in her past life. After Taft kidnapped Dyson she came with me to check out his compound and one of the guards aimed his gun at me so..."

"So she protected you," Trick finished her sentence. Bo could tell what he was thinking without having to hear him say it aloud. _You should have known then and there that she had real feelings for you._

Lauren shuddered as she remembered accusing Tamsin of never making any sacrifices for her friends. She took the opportunity to change the subject. "Now that Tamsin is stable I'm going to examine you three, starting with Trick." The Blood King rose to follow her into another exam room. "You two could both use a shower," she called to Bo and Dyson, "I've got some scrubs in the cupboard you can change into."

* * *

><p>As Bo was drying off after her shower she heard a familiar voice, a voice that never failed to lift her mood, even on the darkest of days.<p>

"I take one little trip to Spain and all hell breaks loose. Look at you D-Man -you're pale as a ghost. How does it feel to be a mere mortal such as I?"

"Good to see you too, Kenzi," he chuckled, drawing her in for a hug. "To be honest, it feels like shit."

"Bo-bo!" the human chirped as the succubus joined them.

"Kenzi, what are you doing here? How did you-"

"Well, I got a very emotional message from Tammers not long before y'all got yourselves kidnapped, so I casually packed up the villa and headed home. I nearly peed myself when I heard you were all suddenly human."

"Tamsin called you?" Bo asked guiltily.

"She certainly did, and you and I are due for a little chat about your decision to put her heart through the ringer."

Dyson took that as his cue to leave and went to wait for Lauren and Trick. The two women pulled up a couple of chairs next to the Valkyrie's bed.

The doctor popped her head in. "Dyson and I are going to get Trick's quill and book of blood so I can get a sample of his original DNA. He's napping and we won't be long. Don't go anywhere."

"Okay... and also I should probably tell you I ordered Chinese food and don't have any Canadian currency on me, so if you have any..." Kenzi flashed Lauren a mischievous smile.

The doctor reached her wallet and handed over a wad of cash. "You're welcome, save some for me."

Kenzi turned her attention back to the succubus. "Bo, you know that Tam-tam is my baby, as in I raised her like she was my own."

"Yes, and I know what you're going to say, and I promise you I feel beyond terrible."

"I should hope so. She sounded devastated."

The succubus felt a pang in her stomach. "I shouldn't have slept with her."

"Yeah, I'm unclear on how you accidentally fell into bed together."

"It was on my birthday. She... let's just say she offered herself to me, and I interpreted it as purely casual because I'm an idiot."

"And then?"

"And then we slept together again... and again... and I finally realized that we weren't on the same page, and I told her she was confused."

"You ARE an idiot."

* * *

><p>AN: Thanks for the reviews. I meant to update sooner but I got a little blocked. I'm still undecided on whether Bo deserves Tamsin and would appreciate any input because there are several places where I could take this... There's a line in here from a Page France song; it's meant as a lyrical easter egg and I would never claim it as my own.


	8. More than hunger

A/N: Warning, mild doccubus scene ahead.

* * *

><p>"Your blood pressure is actually in a healthier range, at least compared to Trick and Dyson," Lauren informed Bo as she slid the cuff off the brunette's arm. The doctor had spent several days without rest working on an antidote to save Trick, whose health was continuing to deteriorate. After taking an overdue nap she'd left her assistant to care for the Blood King so she could finally examine the succubus.<p>

"I guess that's good news," Bo smiled half-heartedly. She looked away as the doctor swabbed her other arm and pricked her vein with a needle.

"So, how does it feel to be human?" Lauren asked nervously as she watched Bo's blood fill the vial. She was both curious and terrified to hear the answer.

"Aside from my obvious weakness, it feels weird. Not being able to see sexual energy around me -it's like I've lost one of my senses."

"I can imagine," Lauren sighed guiltily.

"But I can finally tell the difference between succubus hunger and real desire."

The doctor raised an eyebrow. "That's interesting."

"Yeah, I know. When Dyson came out of the shower yesterday in a towel, I realized that I don't desire him anymore. I know I was really in love with him once but it's gone now. I guess the lingering lust must have come down to my succubus instinct."

"Perhaps you've fed from him for so long that he inspires a kind of Pavlovian response," the doctor hypothesized. She turned away to put the vials of blood in a tray on the counter. "And your attraction to _me_... has that changed?" She was trying to sound as neutral as she could but her anxiety shone through. Bo tugged at the doctor's arm and pulled her in for an affectionate kiss.

"Of course not. Do you really think my feelings for you would evaporate just because I've lost my succubus power?"

Lauren sighed with relief. "I guess I just let my fear get the better of me."

They held each other for a while but eventually the doctor pulled away.

"I should actually get back to work on the antidote for Trick. We're pretty close to a breakthrough."

"Why is he so much sicker than me and Dyson?"

"I honestly can't figure out why the serum affected him so harshly but it was designed for Evony's DNA. This whole incident proves that it has dramatically different effects on different species."

"Please, Lauren, don't let him die," the succubus pleaded.

"I won't," the doctor promised.

Bo believed her; she really had no other choice.

The succubus smelled pizza and heard Kenzi teasing Dyson as they watched TV in the clinic's break-room, but she wasn't quite ready to join them. She wandered back to the Valkyrie's bedside and timidly reached out to hold her hand, relieved to find it was a little warmer than it had been the day before.

Bo was also relieved that Lauren hadn't thought to ask her if the Valkyrie, with whom she'd up until recently been having what she assumed to be casual sex, had lost _her_ allure. Her perplexing desire for Tamsin, which she'd always dismissed as nothing more than hunger, had somehow managed to endure even now that she was human.

Watching Dyson cradle Tamsin when she was wounded, Bo had felt a pang of jealousy, a wish that it could have been _her _holding the blonde in her arms. Staring now at the Valkyrie all wrapped up in gauze, Bo couldn't help but think back to the night she'd presented her naked body wrapped up in a bow. The succubus had leapt at the chance to pull Tamsin into her bed, too dense to see that she hadn't just been offering Bo her body; she'd been giving her her very soul. Bo stared at Tamsin's lips and thought back to all the moments when she'd pressed them against her own. Stripped of her fae instincts, the succubus had finally noticed that what she'd felt was more than hunger.


	9. Don't mention it

"I mean, I want to say I'm a Blanche but realistically I can't deny that I'm probably more of a Sophia..."

When Tamsin finally emerged from her coma, Kenzi's voice was the first thing she heard. She grinned, unable to think of a more comforting thing to wake up to than the sound of her favourite human contemplating which Golden Girl she most identified with. The last thing the Valkyrie remembered was the sensation of bullets tearing into her flesh and the look of terror in Dyson's eyes as she slipped out of consciousness. And now here she was, healed after her long sleep with her best friend at her side.

"Trick is Dorothy, which ironically makes me his mother," Kenzi continued, "Bo is obviously Blanche, and that makes you Rose."

"I am NOT Rose," Dyson protested. "Lauren can be Rose."

"Lauren's not fun enough to be a Golden Girl."

"_I'll _be Rose then," Tamsin rasped. Her voice was hoarse but hadn't lost any of its familiar sass. The Valkyrie squinted as her eyes adjusted to the light. The human squealed with glee and leapt onto the bed to throw her arms around her friend. Tamsin's wounds still felt a little sore but she was too happy to see Kenzi to care.

"Welcome back," the wolf beamed. He kissed her gently on the cheek.

"How long was I out?"

"Five days."

"And Evony is certifiably dead?"

"Very much so," he reassured her. She let out a contented sigh.

"Thanks for coming all the way from Spain," she murmured to Kenzi.

"Thanks for not dying!" the human trilled.

"You are truly welcome." Tamsin pulled aside the flimsy gown to examine her injuries. There was some minor swelling where the bullets had pierced through her skin but she could tell the scars would eventually fade until they were barely visible. If only she could say the same for the clobbering her heart had recently taken.

"I'm going to need some actual clothes..."

"Do you really think Mama Kenz wouldn't come prepared? I brought over a wide selection of outfits for you to choose from. And your favourite leather jacket, of course." Kenzi hopped off to go find the Valkyries duffel bag.

Tamsin rose from the bed and took a few steps, leaning on Dyson for support.

"You know, you're still ravishing, even in a hospital gown," he teased her.

"Yeah, I'm the picture of beauty," she deadpanned. They both giggled.

Her mood fell when she caught sight of the succubus standing nervously in the doorway. Tamsin had not looked Bo in the eye since the day she was rejected; the vivid, bitter memory of their last interaction wiped the smile off her face.

Bo took a tentative step forward. "Dyson, could we have a minute?"

"He stays," the Valkyrie announced quietly.

"Okay," the succubus stuttered, "Whatever you're comfortable with. I just... I just wanted to say thanks, for what you did for me and Trick."

"Don`t mention it," Tamsin replied wih stern sincerity.

"How do you feel?"

The Valkyrie struggled awkwardly to respond. She felt shy standing in front of the succubus in nothing but a gown so short it barely covered her ass. She wanted to be mad but couldn't help being earnest. "I... it always takes a day or two to get back to myself, but I'll be fine."

Tamsin noticed right away that Bo looked pale and tired; she was evidently still human. Even with her pasty complexion and the bags under her eyes, the Valkyrie still felt elementally drawn toward her like a magnet. Yet despite her attraction, she couldn't deny that it hurt to be in Bo's company.

Kenzi charged back into the room, duffel bag in hand. Stepping back as her best friend explained her plans for a post-coma makeover, Bo found her gaze wandering up and down the blonde's body.

Three weeks ago they'd been naked in bed together; now the Valkyrie could barely look her in the eye. Bo wanted to hold her and run her hands through that soft hair again. Even without her succubus instinct, she couldn't help fixating on Tamsin's lips. She'd been a fool to assume they were nothing more than friends, that her connection with the Valkyrie was no different than the one she had with Kenzi. Friends didn't do the kind of things Bo wanted to do with Tamsin.

* * *

><p>AN: Thanks for the feedback. I should say that even though Lauren is my least favourite character, I see her being humbled rather than going totally evil because that feels like too strong a departure from canon. Suffice to say she will face consequences for her actions and my own heart belongs to Tamsin.


	10. I bet you say that to all the Valkyries

"It's official: Trick's DNA is fae again," Lauren informed Bo as they sat down for another meal of takeout Chinese food. She had finally perfected the antidote for Trick and within hours of receiving it his temperature had returned to normal. He was already on his way over to reopen the Dal.

"Thank God," the succubus mumbled with a mouthful of food.

"I know, I'm confident that it won't take me so long to make Dyson's antidote once I'm able to get my hands on a DNA sample." Somehow it didn't surprise Bo to hear that while developing antidotes to restore their fae genes, her girlfriend had saved her for last. She knew that it was because she was tolerating the process of becoming human better than the wolf, who was looking a little worse with each passing day. But a small part of her also wondered if Lauren wasn't simply happy with the idea of her humanity making monogamy more plausible for them, especially after she'd revealed that as a human she was no longer attracted to Dyson.

"You already have some of my blood lying around here somewhere, right? I mean, for when you make it for me."

"Yes, of course. I still have multiple samples left over," the doctor assured her.

Bo speared a piece of beef, debating whether or not she should say what she was thinking. Finally she decided she couldn't hold it in. "Are you sure you wouldn't be happier to see me stay human?" She'd tried to sound neutral but a hint of resentment shone through in her tone.

"Why would you ask me that?" Lauren stammered, thrown off guard, "of course not."

"As a human I could be monogamous with you, with no succubus nature to interfere."

"Bo, what are you getting at?"

"I just... I need you to know something about the way I'm experiencing life as a human."

The doctor nodded expectantly.

Bo fidgeted and looked at her hands, avoiding Lauren's gaze as she worked up the nerve to make her announcement."You aren't the only person on my radar."

"Oh." The doctor couldn't help feeling a little disappointed but tried to conceal it.

"I still feel something for her."

"Ohhhh." Lauren didn't have to ask who the succubus was talking about.

"I thought the attraction was just about her chi," Bo went on, "I thought I only loved her as a friend, but it turns out it wasn't so simple and I'm still drawn to her even now. It doesn't mean that I don't love you, but I would understand if it changed things for you."

The doctor took a deep breath and leaned back in her chair. "Does she know?"

"No, we're not exactly buddies right now and our last conversation about the nature of our relationship didn't exactly go too well."

"You'll need to tell her soon."

"Hold on, you're okay with this?"

"Lauren sighed, smiling. "I was a little surprised when you told her you didn't love her that way. You two have always had a dynamic built on something more than friendship. And then when you brought her in here that day she was shot, the way you were crying...it was obvious."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because it's not my place to meddle in your love life, Bo. I learned that the hard way with Dyson. Just go to her and tell her the truth."

"And what does this mean for us?"

"I don't know but I guess we'll find out."

* * *

><p>Eager to leave the clinic after Dyson settled in for a nap, Kenzi raced off on an errand, and Bo and Lauren settled into a lunch she wanted no part of, Tamsin had headed to the Dal for some much needed alcoholic refreshment. She still didn't have a place to stay so she'd picked up a couple of auto trader catalogues to peruse. She was flipping through the truck ads when Trick came out from the back room."I think you'll find this vintage more than satisfying," the Blood King winked as he planted a prize bottle of pomegranate wine on the counter. It must have been worth at least several thousand dollars.<p>

"Thanks, barkeep. I must say I'm impressed."

"It's certainly well deserved."

"It's nice to see you back behind the bar. How are you feeling?"

"Well, actually. It's good to be back."

"Glad to hear it." Tamsin and Trick had been cordial in recent months, but they had avoided being alone together since their memories of their cursed deal during the great wars had been returned to them. Neither felt keen to confront the past, but the moment she sat down at the bar, he knew he couldn't keep putting it off.

"It doesn't escape me that I never properly apologized for taking advantage of you with Rainer. You were at your weakest and I exploited you just to achieve my petty revenge."

She nodded, and he continued. "I can't deny though that I'm glad I gave you seven more lives, because if I hadn't you wouldn't have been here to get me out of that cage and Lauren said I wouldn't have lasted much longer without medical attention."

A heartfelt smile tugged at her lips. "This is where I'm supposed to think of a snarky way to say you're welcome but I'm kind of drawing a blank."

"Well, for the sake of your reputation, I won't tell anyone."

"Thanks," she grinned, taking a sip of her wine. It was better than anything she'd tasted in a long time.

"Forgive me if this is too forward," he ventured, "but I'm also really sorry about the Guardianship."

"Tamsin took another long gulp and sighed. "I knew you'd be the one to figure it out."

"They say a Winged Guardian's beloved has to be fae. Is there any chance that Bo being turned human will let you off the hook?"

She shook her head. "I wondered about that loophole too but when I saw her today it was clear that even as a frail human she still has dominion over my foolish little heart."

"For what it's worth, I think your foolish little heart is worthy of her even if she hasn't yet proven that she deserves it." Tamsin was quite taken aback by his sincerity.

"I bet you say that to all the Valkyries," she teased, nudging him on the arm.

Her phone buzzed and she looked down to see Dyson's name on the caller ID.

"How are you feeling? Up for getting your ass kicked at pool?"

"Unfortunately, no," Dyson told her in a weak voice, "you're not going to be thrilled about this, but I need you to come back here to help us with something."


	11. Your bad cop act

When the Valkyrie returned the clinic Bo was wise enough to make herself scarce. Knowing the Valkyrie would have little patience for small talk, Lauren got right down to business. "I need a sample of Dyson's original DNA in order to complete the antidote for him," the doctor explained.

"And?" Tamsin asked, confused about what this had to do with her.

"And I don't have any blood samples from Dyson here but-"

"Taft took some from me," he interjected.

"Where are they now?"

"All of his research material and biological samples were taken over by another scientist working out of a research facility about an hour away from here. I need to retrieve them but there's high security and it'll be risky for me to go alone given my former affiliation with the project. I've been avoiding them and they might want to detain me for questioning."

"So you need an escort who can help you break in and cover your ass," Tamsin inferred.

The doctor nodded.

"And who better than a badass Valkyrie who can immobilize the security staff with a wave of doubt?"

"That's the idea," Lauren admitted. Dyson had assured her that Tamsin would help, but the human had really had no idea what to expect from her.

"Okay, I'm in."

"I'll go with you guys," the wolf volunteered, sensing that it might make the trip less uncomfortable.

"No, Dyson. You still look pretty frail and I don't want anything happening to you," the Valkyrie told him. "The doc and I will be just fine on our own, won't we?"

"Certainly," Lauren agreed, trying to hide her apprehension.

"We'll take your car, and I'm driving."

* * *

><p>"I know what you want to say to me, so you may as well get it over with."<p>

Lauren and Tamsin had been driving for nearly half an hour, and hardly a word had passed between them.

"So tell me, dear mind reader, what exactly do I want to say to you?" the valkyrie asked dryly. She couldn't help enjoying the doctor's discomfort.

"That it's my fault Evony shot them with the serum and none of this would have happened if I hadn't made it in the first place. That I put everyone at risk."

"Mmhmmm, and how do you answer that charge?"

"I... I just need you to know that I have never done anything without having Bo's best interest in mind and if I could go back in time and prevent Evony from getting the serum, I would."

The Valkyrie tried not to roll her eyes. "But you still don't regret developing it in the first place?"

"Look, I know that I haven't come off well in this situation, but you have to admit that when it comes to science, I know what I'm doing."

Incredulous, Tamsin chuckled and shook her head. "Well, Doctor, as much as I'm impressed by your hubris, I can't help but point out that you've crossed into _my _area of expertise. Your serum is a weapon, and no one knows weapons better than a Valkyrie."

"That's not fair-" Lauren started, but Tamsin held up her hand to shush her.

"Given that I nearly died cleaning up the mess you created, don't you think I've earned the right to speak without being interrupted?"

Lauren sank back into her seat like a teenager dreading a lecture.

"Where weapons technology is concerned, there is no species, even among the fae, more innovative than the human race. And you name it, I've lived through its invention -muskets, shrapnel, machine guns, nuclear weapons, napalm, land mines, smart bombs, drones... Humans really outdo themselves every time they find new ways to kill each other and they never let longterm ethical questions to get in the way of their brilliant advances."

The human realized that she'd never actually considered how living through so much history would impact the Valkyrie's worldview.

Tamsin continued. "A thousand years ago you had to look into the eyes of your enemy as you watched his spirit leave his body. War meant something. Now you can remotely detonate an explosion in a shopping mall, or bomb a wedding in Yemen with a drone operated out of New Mexico."

"So you're comparing me and my scientific innovation to terrorists and war criminals?"

"I'm saying you don't think of the consequences before you act in what _you_ think is everyone's best interest."

"What happened with Evony and the serum was unfortunate; it's not like this is something that happens again and again."

"So this was your first mistake? Didn't you build a bomb that ended up accidentally killing eleven people?"

The doctor's eyes widened and her stomach turned to lead. She looked like she'd seen a ghost. "How did you-"

"I know you didn't intend for that bomb to hurt anyone and that's my point. You had the best intentions and people still died. Your serum is a weapon. You wanted to neutralize Evony, and I get that, but a compound that can turn fae into humans is like our own atomic bomb. Now that you've unleashed it you can't control how it will be used, or who will get their hands on it. You didn't think before you acted."

Lauren couldn't refute a word Tamsin had said. The pair sat in silence for the rest of the drive.

* * *

><p>The lab was located in a warehouse district; it was close to midnight by the time they arrived, so the streets were empty. The doctor had gotten her hands on a layout of the building and knew where the biological samples would be kept.<p>

"When we go in, will I be affected... by the doubt?" Lauren asked cautiously as they approached the side door.

Tamsin turned to look the human in the eye and put a hand on her shoulder. "I have total control over who falls prey to my power and you will not end up as collateral damage." She took off her coat and handed it to doctor. "I need you to hold onto this."

"Why?"

Without warning, the Valkyrie brought forth her wings. "Because these things are bulletproof and I'm not taking any chances after my little adventure last week."

Lauren was fascinated by the sight of Tamsin's wings. She'd never seen them before and they were far larger than she'd pictured.

"You can touch them if you want to indulge your scientific curiosity," the Valkyrie smirked, seeing the awed expression on her face. The doctor ran her hands through the feathers. "How can they be bulletproof when they're so soft?"

"Hell if I know but they are."

The Valkyrie's face darkened as she disabled the lock. "If anything goes wrong I want you to stay close to me." Lauren nodded. Tamsin had a strange way of making her feel both frightened and protected at the same time.

Once inside, their mission went off without a hitch. Tamsin cast doubt on the guards at the security station and they tumbled to the floor. Lauren slinked behind the desk and disabled the cameras. She nabbed a guard's key card and they made their way into the lab's vault. Tamsin watched the door while the doctor searched their cooler until she found the lycanthropus specimen. It was the only one they had, so it had to be Dyson s. She took their succubus specimen too because she didn't like the idea of leaving Taft's successors with Aife's blood either.

As they crept back through the corridor toward the door Tamsin stayed several steps ahead but still managed to keep one of her wings tucked around the human as a precaution. Lauren had to admit that even though they were never fully at ease with each other, Tamsin had always had her back, sometimes literally.

"That was easy," the Valkyrie concluded when they exited into the cool night air and made their way to the car. She retracted her wings and slipped her jacket back on before settling into the driver's seat.

"I couldn't have done it without you."

"I know."

"I'm trying to say thank you, Tamsin."

"I know," the Valkyrie smirked.

"About the bomb, did you-"

"I never told anyone."

"Why?" Lauren asked, her voice quavering.

Tamsin let out a heavy sigh. "For the same reason I didn't let Stacy take you to Valhalla."

"Because... Bo loves me and you love her so..."

"So I would never do anything that would upset her," the Valkyrie admitted. "Saying 'FYI your beloved is a terrorist' would have definitely upset her."

"But that kind of revelation would have knocked me out of the running."

"Knocking you out of the running would only have caused her pain and it certainly wouldn't have made her love me. I knew she loved you. I was hoping she had it in her to love us both, without me putting my finger on the scale. She didn't. End of story."

The doctor wondered if she should correct this statement but decided against it. It wasn't her place. "So if you're not competitive, why are you such an asshole to me?"

"Maybe because you look down on me, and you look down on Kenzi. Maybe because you dismiss my skills and judgment over and over again even though I'm older than Hippocrates."

"You have to admit you do a pretty good job hiding behind your bad cop act and all those tit jokes."

"And you have to admit I might have warmed up to you a little faster if you showed a little more respect for what I bring to the group. And who says my bad cop routine is just an act?"

"I do, Tamsin," Lauren replied, 'And for what it's worth I'm sorry I fell for it."

* * *

><p>AN: I know many Valkubus fans enjoy a good old fashioned Lauren downfall, but I thought it would be more interesting to have Tamsin school the doctor and demonstrate her own wisdom/classiness in the process. Thanks for reading, I hope it satisfies...


	12. It'll have to be enough

Bo was roused by the sound of Lauren opening the dresser drawer. "You never came to bed," she mumbled as she wiped the sleep from her eyes. By the time the doctor and the Valkyrie had returned from the lab with Dyson's blood she had already fallen asleep in Lauren's bed.

"I know, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up this early, I just came to change."

"How did it go last night?"

"Very smoothly. We got what we needed without any hassle."

"How was she?"

"She was her usual formidable self. We actually had a good talk and it reminded me of what you see in her. She even accepted my offer to crash here."

Bo let out a heavy sigh that quickly turned into a yawn. "I guess that's good,'' she said defeatedly, ''At least she's on good terms with one of us."

"You just have to talk to her."

"She won't even be in a room alone with me. She hates me."

"She loves you."

"I don't know that she still does. Whatever Guardianship magic managed to happen between us probably went up in smoke when I stopped being fae. And I'm an asshole for feeling sad about that because she deserves to move on with a clean slate."

"You don't know that for sure and pouting won't solve anything. Give her some time. She can't avoid you forever. In the meantime, I actually have some good news."

Bo perked up.

"I was up all night working on the antidote for Dyson and it's finally ready. Want to go wake him up?"

"Yes!" she declared, leaping from the bed. "You're brilliant." The succubus gave Lauren a quick kiss before racing over to the room where Dyson was sleeping. She felt as giddy as a kid coming downstairs on Christmas morning. What she found when she got there made her stop in her tracks. Dyson and Tamsin were asleep together, cuddling very cosily on the narrow bed. His head was resting on her chest and his arm was wrapped around her waist. Both of them looked content and the Valkyrie even had a little smile on her face, as if she was in the middle of a happy dream. The morning sun's rays poured in through the window, casting them in a golden light. Bo thought back to how nice it had felt to wake up in the Valkyrie's embrace, morning after morning for the past few months. Seeing Tamsin asleep with Dyson was a bitter reminder that she had taken such beautiful little moments for granted.

Tamsin opened her eyes to see the succubus standing frozen in the doorway, staring at the pair of them. Bo looked shocked and upset, as if she'd caught a lover cheating on her. "Tell Dyson the antidote is ready," she mumbled quietly before darting away.

The blonde looked down at the wolf in her arms and realized that Bo was jealous, no doubt because his heart had always belonged to her and she couldn't handle the idea of sharing him with anyone else. She couldn't help feeling annoyed at Bo's possessive attitude.

"Time to wake up, wolf man," she whispered, nudging Dyson, "today is your lucky day."

* * *

><p>"No peeking!" Kenzi squealed as she led the blindfolded Valkyrie up the stairs.<p>

"Yeah, yeah, it's a surprise but I won't get to see it if I fall and break my neck, will I?"

"We're almost there." Tamsin heard Kenzi rooting around in her purse, and then the sound of a key turning in a lock. She guided Tamsin inside and pulled off the blindfold.

The Valkyrie looked around the empty space before her. "It's an apartment."

"It's _our_ apartment," the human announced gleefully.

"Since when?"

"Since I signed a lease yesterday. Look, you need a change of scenery. I know you just bought a new truck but I am not letting you live in it." Tamsin guffawed and she continued. "The 'living in your truck' era is over and that's final. You have family now."

The blonde grinned. "Thanks Kenz, it's perfect."

The human took an elaborate bow.

"So," the Valkyrie began hesitantly, "you're not going to move back in with Bo?"

"I love Bo, but I can't live in that house anymore. It used to be my home but now it'll always be the place where Hale died."

Tamsin drew her into a hug. "I get it. We both needed this."

"This is the part where you express your gratitude by taking me for cheeseburgers. Then we can go couch shopping."

* * *

><p>"I like what I'm seeing," Lauren announced to Dyson and Bo as she peered at the latest sample of his blood through the microscope. She was already noting promising results barely an hour after giving him the antidote. "How do you feel?"<p>

"Good. It's very intense, like all the blood has rushed to my head. I can feel myself getting stronger. And I'm really... hungry."

"There's pizza in the fridge, let's get you a slice or three," Bo volunteered, tugging the wolf toward the kitchen. He soon dispatched with the entire thing.

"Want to order another?" Bo offered.

"No, I think I'm actually craving meat. Usually I go hunting in my wolf form 2 or 3 times a week but it`s been nearly 2 weeks now since I last hit the forest." His eyes assumed their yellow hue as he spoke and his canine teeth descended.

"Dyson, your eyes. Are you okay?"

He stood up. "Yeah, but I think I'm going to go now, the urge to shift is starting to overwhelm me."

"Are you going to be okay?"

"Yeah, I just-" He suddenly shifted into his wolf form mid-sentence. Bo guided him out the door and watched as he took off through the parking lot toward the trees. Lauren was busy working on the serum for her antidote and needed her space. Kenzi was probably off shopping with Tamsin to furnish their new apartment. She was happy for the two of them, but couldn't help feeling a little lonely. The worst part was that she knew she deserved it.

* * *

><p>"Have you told Bo you're not moving back in with her?" Tamsin asked as they tore into their burgers. Neither woman had any qualms about talking with her mouth full.<p>

"Yeah, I told her yesterday. She obviously wasn't thrilled about it but she put on a brave face. Speaking of the wonder snatch, is it going to be weird if she hangs out at our place?"

"No, I'm already practically over it." She shrugged her shoulders but the human was having none of it.

"Don't insult my intelligence by expecting me to believe that."

"Would you rather I wallow in grief?"

'I kinda would if the alternative is that unconvincing 'I'm over it' nonsense. And besides, I raised you; if anyone can handle your crazy feels, it's me. I was there when you cried at the end of nearly all the Harry Potter books."

The Valkyrie pelted her with a fry. "I thought we agreed never to speak of that again. Look, there's no point talking about Bo. What happened, happened."

"That's it? What happened, happened, and you're just going to soldier on?"

"That's what Valkyries do. This is just another wound to scowl and bear. It's not the end of the world. I have friends here and in the end she didn't mean to hurt me."

"That still sounds hard."

"Yeah," Tamsin admitted, her tone bittersweet, "but I have you and Dyson and maybe that's enough for me. It'll have to be enough for me."

* * *

><p>AN: Thanks again for the reviews. I hope I didn't go overboard with Bo's melancholy but I kind of think she deserves it, at least for a bit.


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